New local board to provide tornado recovery oversight

Aaron Krueger could barely see neighbors’ homes from his on Murwood Court in Beavercreek before the Memorial Day tornadoes swept through heavily wooded Grange View Acres. Now some of the homes are gone and others are in plain view. CHRIS STEWART / STAFF

Aaron Krueger could barely see neighbors’ homes from his on Murwood Court in Beavercreek before the Memorial Day tornadoes swept through heavily wooded Grange View Acres. Now some of the homes are gone and others are in plain view. CHRIS STEWART / STAFF

A new board has been named to provide strategic leadership and oversight of all aspects of tornado recovery in the region.

The new 17-member Disaster Recovery Leadership Board will oversee the Miami Valley Long-Term Recovery Operations Group that assists individuals and households as well as the group assisting local governments and public agencies, the Long Term Community Recovery Network.

MORE: Volunteer groups to rebuild damaged tornado homes

The leadership board also will assist with fundraising, communications and potential policy and protocol creation to aid in rebuilding following tornadoes last year, according to the organizations that announced the board Monday.

Woodrow Stroud, a representative from the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission’s board and the Greene County Transit Board, will chair the new group.

“The 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes that struck the Miami Valley were unlike anything we’ve experienced before,” he said. “Disaster recovery is extremely complicated and will take years to complete.”

Members of the board include:

• Bob Glaser, Greene County commissioner

• Tom Gunlock, community member at large

• Sarah Hackenbracht, Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association

• Rap Hankins, community member at large

• Brian Heitkamp, CityWide Development Corporation

• Ellen Ireland, The Dayton Foundation

• Helen Jones-Kelley, Sinclair Community College

• Todd Kinskey, city of Dayton

• Julie Liss-Katz, Dayton Business Committee

• Debbie Lieberman, Montgomery County commissioner

• Tony Ortiz, community member at large

• Phil Parker, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce

• Joel Smith, Miami County Emergency Management

• Father Ben Speare-Hardy, community member at large

• Julie Sullivan, Dayton Development Coalition

• Roland Winburn, community member at large

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The new board was announced by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, Montgomery County, The Dayton Foundation and leaders from the Disaster Recovery Network.


Still need help?

Individuals whose homes were damaged by the Memorial Day tornadoes are encouraged to contact United Way’s Helplink at 211 to get set up with a disaster recovery case manager. If 211 is not available in your area, please call (937) 225-3000 or toll free (855) 405-7629.

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